The times are indeed a-changin’!

Happening in the World: In the United Kingdom, individuals were given the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccination at London’s University Hospital Coventry. Margaret Keenan, a 91-year-old retired shop clerk, was the first in line to be apart of the countries early global immunization program. The specific vaccine given to Keenan was developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and is one of the first to be considered for use across the globe. Britain has stated that the first batch of vaccines will be given to those who have been hospitalized, nursing home workers, outpatients, and vaccination healthcare staff (ABC News). 

Happening in the US: Famous songwriter and musician, Bob Dylan, has sold his full catalog of 600+ songs to Universal Music Publishing Group. Before this, Dylan had full intellectual property rights over his songs, many of which are revered as some of the most culturally significant products of songwriting in American history. The deal was reported to be roughly worth a whopping $300 million dollars (The NYT).

Happening in NYC: The MTA is facing a budget crisis, and residents of the Big Apple may have to pay a surcharge in order to help them out. Assemblyman Robert Carroll has proposed a bill that would cause the cost of packages ordered online to increase by $3 (exceptions are medicine and food), which would raise more than $1 billion a year for the MTA (NBC New York).

Happening in Our Community: On December 10th at 4:00 PM EST, Barnard’s Committee for Inclusive Initiatives will be holding an event on accessibility in the virtual classroom. RSVP here to learn about how to facilitate safe spaces for students with disabilities in both virtual and in-person environments. 

Book of the Week: Severance by Ling Ma

In this satirical science-fiction novel, Candace Chen must navigate the many internal and external challenges that come with Shen Fever as it strikes New York City and destroys global civilization. Chinese-American author, Ling Ma, explores themes of monotony, relationships, and nostalgia in her gripping debut. 

Bob Dylan via Dena Flows